North Island 
Twelve species of vascular plants have been recorded from North Is- 
...... • ..j 
a 
land (Table ). The center of North Island is presently dominated by a 
lush growth of Slcyos hispidus (Figure ). Some Boerhavla and • 
Tribulus cistoides also grows in this area. At the northern perimeter of 
, • i # 
the Inland is a nearly solid growth of Solanum nelsoni . East of this growth 
s * 
is an area of mixed Tribulus, Boerhavia, and S_. nelsoni . At the north¬ 
east corner of the island is a nearly pure stand of Eragrostis variabllis 
about 100 by 200 feet. The remainder of the vegetated area is a sparse 
mixture of Lepidium bidentatum, S. nelsoni,Sicyos , Tribulus, and Boerhavia, 
4 
except for a nearly pure stand of Lepidium along the western side. Plant 
density decreases from the interior to the beaches, and Lepidium is the 
» 
last species to be found in the coral rubble closest to the beaches and 
extending part way south on the southern tip. Several stunted and nearly 
dead Tournefortia argentea bushes were found along the.southwestern edge 
of the island in March 1965* Several areas of Brassica campestris were 
found in August 1967 * Other plants recorded in small numbers for North 
Island are Lepturus . repens, Portulaca lutea, and Scaevola taccada. 
In March 1913 Willett (Bailey, 1956:32) stated that "tussocks of 
bunch grass...covers the northern end of the island." Christophersen 
and Caum (1933:3-5-16) report that the Tanager Expedition collected 
Achyranthes splendens and Tribulus on North Island in 1923* 
As the island has only a few patches of grass at present, with sev¬ 
eral species of viftes dominating the flora, It appears that this island 
has undergone the same type of successions! changes as recorded for South¬ 
east and Grass Islands. 
